LPG crisis: Gehlot slams 'negligent' Modi govt for collective failure

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot slammed the Modi government for its "collective failure" in handling the LPG shortage. He urged the public to use fuel frugally and requested the government to ensure supply for dhabas and 'Indira Kitchen'.

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday condemned the BJP-led Union Government for allegedly being "negligent and insensitive" towards the LPG shortage issue, calling it a case of "collective failure."

Calling the situation alarming, Gelhot advised the general public to use cooking gas and petrol-diesel considerately. He further requested the state and central government to ensure LPG gas supply in dhabas used by daily wage workers. "The deepening crisis in the supply of cooking gas (LPG) in the country due to the war in the Gulf countries is extremely alarming. It is unfortunate that the Modi government remains as negligent and insensitive as ever regarding this potential national crisis. The central government's inability to assess the situation in time is a clear case of 'collective failure'," Gelhot wrote in a post on X. "In the current circumstances, my appeal to the general public is to use cooking gas and petrol-diesel with complete responsibility and frugality. The supply of LPG gas should be ensured in dhabas used by daily wage labourers for cooking their daily meals, by both the central and state governments," he added. खाड़ी देशों में युद्ध के कारण देश में रसोई गैस (LPG) आपूर्ति पर गहराता संकट बेहद चिंताजनक है। दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है कि मोदी सरकार इस संभावित राष्ट्रीय संकट को लेकर भी हमेशा की तरह लापरवाह और असंवेदनशील बनी हुई है। समय रहते स्थिति का आकलन ना कर पाना केंद्र सरकार का स्पष्ट 'कलेक्टिव… — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) March 11, 2026

Gehlot's Appeal for Needy

The Former Rajasthan Chief Minister especially urged the state government to ensure uninterrupted gas availability in 'Indira Kitchen', on which lakhs of needy people rely for meals. "At the same time, I have a special request to the Rajasthan government that, at the very least, uninterrupted availability of gas be ensured in 'Indira Kitchen' (currently named Annapurna Kitchen), because lakhs of needy people, students, and labourers depend on these for their meals," he requested.

Concerns Over Hotel Closures

Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister M B Patil also expressed concerns over the warnings issued by hotel associations, stating that they might be forced to close within the next few days due to inadequate gas supply, despite assurance of no shortage by Piyush Goyal. "... Piyush Goyal has said that there is no shortage of gas. But on the contrary, hotel associations, including Bhartiya Vidyarthi Bhavan and others, have warned that hotels may be forced to close within two days due to insufficient gas supply. Arrangements are urgently needed to meet the requirements of industry, hotels, and households," he said.

Price Hike and New Regulations

The reactions come after the Centre had recently announced a price hike of Rs 60 for cooking LPG cylinders, amid the West Asia conflict. Following the hike, the non-subsidised prices of LPG cylinders stand at Rs 913 in Delhi, Rs 939 in Kolkata, Rs 912 in Mumbai, and Rs 928 in Chennai. The difference in prices across states comes from the applicable taxes levied by the state government.

The government has mandated a new 25-day inter-booking period for domestic LPG refills. (ANI)

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